The event marks the crowning of long efforts by town officials, local music enthusiasts and the business community, as well as of Canadian-born conductor Stanley Dodds, who serves as the Cavatina Orchestra’s artistic director.
The programme of Thursday’s concert includes the Fairy Tale overture by Stanisław Moniuszko, Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and Chopin’s Piano Concerto in F minor with Poland’s Szymon Nehring as the soloist.
The Cavatina Orchestra will be conducted by Dodds, who is chief conductor of the Sinfonie Orchester Berlin.
Bielsko-Biała Mayor Jarosław Klimaszewski has told the media that the establishment of "Poland’s first private, professional symphony orchestra is a dream come true" for local music lovers.
The Cavatina Philharmonic Orchestra is the brainchild of the Cavatina Holding company, Poland’s largest office space developer, and has its home in the Cavatina Hall in Bielsko-Biała, a multifunctional building that combines office and cultural functions, with a 1,000-seat hall and a recording studio.
Cavatina Holding founder Michał Dziuda said that the creation of the Cavatina Philharmonic Orchestra is "a unique development" on the Polish music scene.
"Our goal is not only to perform music of the highest calibre but also to carry out a wide-ranging outreach programme to foster local community bonds," he added.
The Cavatina Philharmonic Orchestra is made up of 54 musicians from Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, Britain, Germany and New Zealand. In its first season, the ensemble plans to give 28 concerts with a varied repertoire, including contemporary and film music.
The name of the orchestra comes from the Italian musical term cavatina, which means "little song" and refers to a simple solo song that is usually part of a larger composition, such as an opera or oratorio.
Bielsko-Biała has a population of over 165,000. It is picturesquely located at the foot of the Beskidy Mountains near Poland's borders with the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
(mk/gs)